McCain, Udall honored for their legacy of supporting Grand Canyon

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Grand Canyon Honors. 275 words
  • Photos and captions

By TYLER FINGERT
Cronkite News

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK – A plaque dedicated to two Arizona icons who have championed the Grand Canyon – Sen. John McCain and the late Rep. Morris Udall – was unveiled in an emotional ceremony Wednesday on the South Rim.

The plaque, sponsored by the National Park Service and the Grand Canyon Association, honors McCain and Udall’s commitment to the park, such as their promotion of visitor safety, preserving the Colorado River that carved the canyon and helping protect wildlife within the park’s boundaries.

A specific location for the plaque has not been determined, but it will be outdoors on the South Rim, officials said. No date for installation has been set.

Cindy McCain, who spoke at a ceremony unveiling the plaque’s design, said she was moved by the tribute.

“It’s heartwarming, and it’s such an honor,” she said against the backdrop of the canyon from Mather Point.

Gov. Doug Ducey called McCain and Udall patriots and role models for Arizona citizens.

Udall served as a congressman from Arizona for 30 years. For nearly 15 of those, he chaired the House Committee on Natural Resources, which considers legislation on national parks. He died in 1998 at age 76.

McCain, who’s serving his sixth term in the U.S. Senate and was diagnosed last year with an aggressive form of brain cancer, started in the House and sat with Udall on the natural resources committee in the 1980s.

This story is part of Elemental: Covering Sustainability, a new multimedia collaboration between Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, KJZZ, KPCC, Rocky Mountain PBS and PBS SoCal.

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Cindy McCain,  wife of Sen. John McCain, is moved to tears Wednesday as she reads a letter from her husband about his appreciation of the Grand Canyon and his friendship with the late Rep. Morris Udall. (Photo by Jenna Miller/Cronkite News)
Susan Schroeder, CEO of the Grand Canyon Association (left), and Christine Lehnertz, superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park, unveil the design for a plaque honoring Sen. John McCain and Rep. Morris Udall on Wednesday. The plaque will be installed along the South Rim at a later date. (Photo by Jenna Miller/Cronkite News)
The plaque will be installed along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to honor Sen. John McCain and Rep. Morris Udall for their dedication to protect the park. Family members and politicians spoke of the two men’s long friendship and partnerships on important issues. (Photo by Jenna Miller/Cronkite News)